The Neighborhood High School Girl, Miss Isezaki, Is the Great Saintess Returned from Another World~ And I, Suddenly Awakened as Her Exclusive Mana Supply Uncle, Travel Between Earth and Another World with Time-Space Magic~ - 232. Interception Preparations

232. 232. Interception Preparations

“Welcome, Matsunaga-sama!”

“Captain Bea—no, I mean Captain Higuner, thank you. I heard this is the last material transport… The room feels quite empty now.”

I glanced around the command room of the frontline base as I spoke.

I remember that the shelves used to be stuffed with thick books and old parchments. And the desk was cluttered with maps and writing tools.

Now, the shelves were completely empty. There wasn’t a desk or chair in sight. The faint markings on the wall might be where a heraldic flag was taken down. It looked like someone was about to flee in the middle of the night.

“Yes, actually, we’ve already moved operations to the magic fortress. So we hardly use this place anymore,” 

Captain Beard said. He was also surveying the room.

Now that he mentioned it, this base had indeed been a *frontline* base during conflicts. But with the construction of the magic fortress, it was no longer near the front. And it had likely lost its strategic value.

“Therefore, this base will be dismantled as soon as the materials you’ve brought are used up.”

“I see, that makes sense. In that case—”

I couldn’t stay for small talk. I quickly urged Captain Beard to lead me to the warehouse.

Last time, we were lucky Maristel didn’t show up. But there’s no guarantee she won’t this time. Better to finish things before any trouble starts—but…

Unfortunately, I heard the sharp *clack clack clack* of heels on stone pavement from outside the room.

With a small sigh, I began preparing to intercept.

Last time, when Maristel suddenly tried to hug me, I reflexively used [Eject]. But I felt a bit bad about it afterward. So this time, I’d block her with a spatial barrier.

As I focused my mind to summon a dimensional wall at any moment, I watched the door. I held my breath—

*BANG!* The door burst open violently.

“Yah~n! Matsunaga! It’s been so long~~~!!”

It was Maristel. Dressed in her usual provocative gown, she threw her arms wide and leapt toward me as soon as she saw me.

Her bountiful chest loomed closer—but I was ready this time.

Just as I prepared to summon the barrier, a small figure jumped between us. It was Colin.

With her back to me, she threw her head back dramatically. She then launched forward with a sharp snap.

“HMPH!!”

A full-on headbutt. Colin’s small, hard-looking head smashed into Maristel’s soft-looking belly in a perfect counterattack.

“GUWAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!”

Pitifully, Maristel was blown away and slammed into the stone wall—

*CRAAAAAAAAAASH!!*

The impact was loud enough to shake the entire stone building.

Outside, the soldiers stirred.

“Are we under attack!?”

“Send a messenger!”

“Wait! I saw Maristel go in just now.”

“Oh, then it’s fine?”

“Yeah…”

“Cancel the alert! Cancel the alert!”

I felt a strange sadness at how accustomed the soldiers were to Maristel-related chaos.

Meanwhile, Maristel was still slumped against the wall, not moving.

…Huh? When I hit her with [Eject], she got back up pretty quickly. Could it be that Colin’s headbutt is even stronger than [Eject]?

Actually, if Colin hadn’t stepped in, I might’ve taken that hit myself… A cold sweat ran down my back as I nervously turned to Colin.

“C-Colin-chan… Maristel is still technically an ally… so, maybe go a little easier next time?”

“I was given strict orders from Lady Isezaki to never let Maristel get close!”

“I-I see…”

So Isezaki-san had predicted this scenario and asked Corinne to intervene.

I knew she hated it when Maristel clung to me. Maybe this was her way of showing jealousy… which, honestly, was kind of cute?

Still, Maristel looked seriously out of it. I cautiously approached and looked at her face.

She was completely white-eyed and twitching uncontrollably.

…Ah, this is bad.

I quickly took a potion out of my [Storage Space] and poured it over her.

A gentle light wrapped around her. It gradually healed her. Eventually, her eyes regained focus. And she suddenly sprang to her feet.

“Hey, you little brat! I saw my dead grandma waving at me across a river! What the hell was that for!?”

“I will not tolerate any insolence toward Matsunaga-sama! On behalf of Lady Isezaki, I will defend him! Hmph!”

Colin puffed out her chest proudly. But Maristel only looked around, smirked, and said—

“Oh? Oh ho ho ho? Isezaki isn’t here today? Ohhh, I see how it is~”

Her belligerent tone vanished. She pranced up to me with a twinkle in her eye.

“In that case~ Matsunaga~ Why don’t we let the little one stay behind, and the two of us have some quality alone time? You’re free today, right? Let’s take it nice and slow together~”

As she pressed her chest toward me, I quickly stepped away.

“No, thank you. I have a beloved wife.”

As always, I used Isezaki-san as a human shield. I wasn’t about to let a moment of weakness drag me into trouble.

Maristel pouted and protested loudly.

“Aww, come onnn! You’re always so cold! …But I don’t hate that about you either ♡ Hey hey, if I just ‘accompany’ you on your work, that’s okay, right? Pretty please? I was such a good girl and followed your orders and everything~”

Wiggling her body and clinging to me, she begged.

Ignoring her, I turned to Captain Beard and shot him a look that asked, “Was she really being good?”

He nodded.

“Actually, she was bedridden with a cold until recently. After recovering, she’s been calmer and causing fewer problems.”

“Exactly! I was so sick! And Beard, seriously—if you thought something was wrong, you could’ve at least come check on me!”

“Who would’ve thought a demon could catch a cold!? You’re always going on about how demons are beautiful, wise, and strong!”

“That kind of fragile side is part of my charm, okay? Honestly, Beard, you really don’t understand women at all~”

“I—I do understand women very well!”

“Oh really~? I know you tried to hit on your secretary and got rejected~ Then you went on a three-day drinking binge with your subordinates, didn’t you~?”

“W-What!? How do you know about that!?”

“Hmm~ Who knows~”

And just like that, Captain Beard and Maristel were bickering.

I was a little curious about his romance drama with the secretary. But the key point was: the reason Maristel wasn’t around last time was because she was sick.

And apparently, since recovering, she’d been better behaved—maybe not perfect, but definitely improved.

In that case, maybe I could grant her this small request. Letting her build up good behavior might help her eventually become a real proper demon.

As Maristel continued teasing Captain Beard, I said to her:

“Alright. If it’s just tagging along with my work, that’s fine. But the moment you get in the way, I’m sending you back.”

“Got it~! Come on, Matsunaga, let’s go~ ♪”

Maristel cheerfully walked beside me. Behind her, Colin followed with a wary eye. Leading us was Captain Beard, his face beet red from having his embarrassing past exposed.

And so, the whole group headed toward the warehouse, trailing along one after another.